Need I go on? Or do you get just how much I adore Mo? Anyway… back on topic… MO WILLEMS ADORES ME!!!

This year, Mo and his BFF Jon Scieszka MCed the Sixth Annual Book Cart Drill Team World Championships at ALA 2010 in DC. I begged…. I pleaded…. I even tried bribing my boss to let me attend, but alas she refused. **humph** I even tried throwing my very bestest Pigeon fit, but Sarah was NOT amused. **grumble, grumble, grumble**

What to do? What to do…? Start a Facebook campaign. Aside from being Esmé's godmother, Cindy D., is also the director of a college library… and at the conference. Hmmm….

(Exact quotes from FB)

CHRISS: Are you going to meet Pigeon's most wonderful creator tomorrow??? **sigh** He and Scieszka will be at the Book Cart Drill Team competition. **double sigh**

CINDY: Probably not. They were both in the hall today but the lines were crazy long!

CHRISS: **sigh** I need the Pigeon's autograph. **goes off to bribe Angela to get it** BTW, Esme sends puppy kisses.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Friday, I hosted an afterhours program called Party with the Stars. Dolly grabbed some satin and hopped in the car before I could even ask if she wanted to come to work with me…. I hadn’t a clue as to what she wanted with the material, but… well… Dolly’s weird… and I’ve learned it’s best not to ask questions with her. It makes my head hurt.

We stopped by The International Café for takeout and got some falafel, hummus, tzatziki sauce, and spinach pie. It’s important for Dolly to try new foods. Silly me let Dolly hold the food in the car. SHE ATE ALMOST ALL THE PITA BREAD AND TZATZIKI SAUCE BEFORE WE GOT TO THE LIBRARY!!! **humph** Well, I guess she’s found some new foods she likes. **grumble, grumble** I made her eat off a plate when we got to work. Did I mention how she ate almost all my pita and tzatziki?!?!?!

ANYWAY, Dolly helped me set up for the program. For some reason, she fashioned the satin material into a dress. “Why?” you ask. When Dolly heard “Party with the Stars,” she thought she would be dining with Peyton Manning, Mo Willems, and Fancy Nancy. **head thump**

Luckily she wasn’t too disappointed after getting to see rainbows around the full moon, the International Space Station, Jupiter, and a new comet called McNaught.

Dolly and another little girl had a hard time using the telescope, so I was able to focus my camera through the telescope lens to capture a few pics they could see. Check out the details on the full moon. You can even see rings of green and blue around the edges.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Now we all know that Dolly’s mommy Pam is one crafty lady. My girls absolutely love Pam’s recycled bottle dog toys. Feeling a little homesick, Dolly asked to come with me to my Yarn Party craft program where we teach kids how to knit and crochet. Knowing it was something her mommy would enjoy, she thought learning a new craft might make her feel better.

My friend Kirsten volunteers for the program (and has the patience of a saint), so I asked her to teach Dolly how to crochet during a slow point. We learned a few things... the most important of which is that thumbs are important when crocheting....

It got a little busy and I'm ashamed to say that I lost track of Dolly for a few minutes. Imagine my mortification upon seeing Dolly riding Kirsten's service dog Ruby. **AGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!** DOLLY! Get off Ruby NOW!

Ruby gently reminded Dolly that she is NOT a horsey... or a lion statue... or a tiger statue....

Thankfully Ruby is patient with little girls and the two parted friends. **deep sigh of relief**

Dolly met my friend Otter this week. Otter’s another fun, free spirit that likes to rock out on her drums. Plus, she and her son Julian (who publishes a fun magazine about cheese) have been following Dolly’s adventures in Columbia. Knowing they would become fast friends, I wasn’t shocked when Dolly asked to be dropped off at Otter’s house for a little fun. I assumed Dolly had asked for a drumming lesson… or wanted to meet their cat Blaze… or….

Imagine my shock when Dolly came out dressed in a black, pleather boustier and yellow biker shorts.

Remember Dolly’s ride on Shirley’s Harley and Tom’s scooter? She found out Otter has one, too, and finagled a ride. Who knew Dolly would like the wind blowing in her hair so much?

Summer reading began June 8th, and we've already signed up over 2,400 kids and 230 teens!!! Dolly saw what fun the kids were having (and saw little kids got a free book if they finished) and DEMANDED to sign up, too. No worries, Pam. I made her ask nicely. I know she was excited, but that's no reason to be rude.Dolly signed her name and age on a yellow ducky.

Miss Angela explained the program to her. She's supposed to put a sticker on the calendar every day that someone reads to her. When she uses up all 30 stickers, it means she read for 30 days and can come back and pick out a free book to keep forever and ever.

Dolly was so happy that she wanted to shake Miss Angela's hand.

Dolly wanted to get started on her reading right away. She picked out Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (one of my FAVORITE books). She wanted to give Pigeon the keys. Unfortunately the Bus Driver came back early. Mean Bus Driver!

Dolly hung out with the story time puppets while I worked during the afternoon... or so I thought. When I couldn't find her, a thorough search began.... Anyone want to guess where we found her???

That's right. She was trying to steal the new children's bookmobile. Apparently Eric left the keys in the ignition.

Before leaving for the day, Dolly found her ducky on the wall of other summer reading rock stars.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Dolly visited Stephens and Bossypants’s college, so I thought she might like to visit a big university, too! Mizzou is home to over 30,000 students, the world’s first journalism school, Thomas Jefferson’s 1st grave maker, and claims several famous alumni (including Tennessee Williams, Sheryl Crow, Mort Walker, and Chase Daniels… Brad Pitt lacks only 1 credit hour to belong to the illustrious group).... Oh, and there’s also a lot of stuff to get Dolly in trouble.

The Chinese government gave two Ming dynasty lions to the School of Journalism. Legend has it that if you talk while walking between them you will fall in love with whomever is in the passageway with you…. Dolly saw a cute college boy approaching, climbed on one of the lions and started singing at the top of her lungs. **red face**

We stopped at the Art History and Archeology Museum next and saw a mummy shroud with twelve toes… which made Dolly realize she has no toes.

Sunday Dolly met George Washington at Shelter Gardens.

She was ecstatic to get to meet yet another president. Convinced Thomas Jefferson needed her expertise writing an article, she decided to “help.” She’s so… helpful (???)… at times….

We also saw Jefferson’s original grave marker. She tried to climb it…, but it was too steep. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Next we went to the Anthropology Museum where we saw a 19th century parka made from seal intestine. Dolly was glad there are no seals in Hawai’i. I will spare you the rude noises she was making.

DOLLY STOP PICKING HIS NOSE!!! Oh, wait…. That’s David R. Francis. Students pick… um…rub… his nose before tests to bring good luck.

Dolly HAD to visit Beetle Bailey. Beetle was created by Mort Walker while a student at Mizzou. Early cartoons even featured a Columbia restaurant called The Shack.

We also visited Ellis Library (where they do NOT wear lobster hats or sing Baby Shark or act silly at ALL in story time)…

After story time on Tuesday, Liz started talking to Dolly about her future. Now, I tried to explain that Dolly is only 1 ½ years old, and while she MAY (?!?!?) be advanced for her age, she’s a little young to be planning the rest of her life. Liz disagreed. (I know. I know. I thought Liz was more of a free spirit, too…. Apparently not.)

I had planned to take Dolly out to lunch Tuesday. I had even taken the whole afternoon off work so we could have a little girl time. Dolly had other plans. She adored Liz, so when she found out Liz went to local Stephens College, she INSISTED upon a college visit.

Being all but closed during the summer months, Dolly couldn’t meet with professors or college advisers. That was ok though. She was more interested in their extracurricular activities.

First we checked out Costume Museum. Dolly found a hat she wanted… but couldn’t find a way to open the case and try it on. Thank goodness for padlocks.

Liz had also mention the Penthouse at the library was a relaxing area and quiet place to study. Thank goodness no one else was there because Dolly had other ideas….

Like climbing potted plants…

and channeling her inner Dolly....

When she broke out into Barbra Streisand's “Hello, Dolly,” it was time to say good-bye and find some lunch.

For lunch, we went to The Main Squeeze (a local, organic lacto-ovo vegetarian and vegan restaurant). Dolly ordered vegan chickenless dumplings and a blackberry soda. She may look small, but the girl knows how to eat. Needing something sweet, we headed across the street to Sparky’s for ice cream. The cashier even remembered her from her previous visit. **sigh** Now she thinks she’s a celebrity.

BTW, cool fact about Stephens… students are allowed to keep pet dogs and cats in their dorm rooms. Past students have even taken advantage of this perk to foster homeless dogs for a local animal shelter. Read more about it in a recent New York Times article.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Liz and I had preschool story time today. Our topic was sea life… but could have easily been titled “When Sharks Attack.” (Even after finding out it was a mouse that sank the boat, one girl was INSISTENT that a shark snuck up and bit a hole in the bottom of the boat and thus making it sink.)

Now Dolly being a good house guest SHOULD have been a good girl, hung out with the puppets in the work room, and not caused any problems while I did story time. **rolls eyes** Forget that. We’re talking Dolly here. We unlocked the doors to let the kids inside, and does anyone want to take a wild guess as to who walked in?

You got it.

I didn’t have time to take her back to the work room, so I plopped her down in the audience and told her to behave.

She didn’t. Surprise. Surprise.

First, she decides she needs to be on the stage… and actually in the story. Dolly, there are no little girls in Who Sank the Boat. There’s a cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a mouse. No little girls.**deep breath** THANKFULLY we hadn’t started yet, so I sat Dolly down a little FURTHER away from the stage and told her to BEHAVE….

Riiiiiiiiight.

The first story was Mitch the Fish. You know the one where Mitch says:

I’m Mitch the Fish.

I swim and I swish.

I can change my color

If I wish.

Well, it came time for Mitch to meet the lobster so he could turn red.

Missing.

Anyone want to guess where I found it?

That’s right.

Does anyone have any Dolly sized handcuffs I could borrow for the rest of the week?

Oh, and if anyone needs a silly shark song to do for preschool story time, an adapted version of Baby Shark goes over well. (Yes, that is Liz and me rocking it out… sans Dolly.)

Monday, June 21, 2010

We had a quiet day today so Dolly could spend quiet reflect time on how one behaves in public… ie not climbing on forbidden fences, trying to ride lions, or playing hide and go seek without telling Miss Chriss.

We went to the laundromat. I washed, dried, and folded clothes. Dolly stripped down to her undies and tried on all of Esmé's clean clothes. I TRIED to explain to Dolly that she's not Irish. She didn't care and then proceeded to go up to all the cute guys and point to her shirt. **sigh** NOTE TO SELF: Deny everything if Pam asks why Dolly is so forward now. Blame David.

Dolly's next stop is SW MO to visit my sister Amy Laine and her three boys. We stopped at Nancy's Trade-A-Book so Dolly could pick out a gift for the boys. (She watched Dinosaur Train this morning while I was making breakfast. I think she might be a tad disappointed when she finds out they don't really time travel and ride around on trains all day.)

Off to the grocery store. Dolly tried to play Cinderella again, so we had to leave the shoes in the car. The greeter reminded us of "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service…" so Dolly had to stay in the basket. I tried not to gloat too much….

Off to bed. Dolly and I have story time with Miss Liz tomorrow morning. We're going to get attacked by sharks.